{"id":143927,"date":"2026-02-24T17:33:09","date_gmt":"2026-02-24T17:33:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/143927\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T17:33:09","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T17:33:09","slug":"strive-charter-school-with-extended-hours-opening-this-fall-in-the-south-bronx-bronx-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/143927\/","title":{"rendered":"Strive Charter School with extended hours opening this fall in the South Bronx \u2013 Bronx Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Strive Charter School is opening this fall to grades K-4. [Note: children\u2019s images are AI-generated].<\/p>\n

Photo courtesy Strive Charter School<\/p>\n

A new charter school coming to the South Bronx aims to offer families greater flexibility beyond the traditional school day.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

Strive Charter School<\/a> will open this fall at 604 East 139th Street, welcoming kindergarten through fourth graders, with plans to add fifth grade after the first year. School leaders expect 325 students to start, with enrollment expanding to approximately 500.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The building will be staffed and open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week, year-round, with free breakfast, lunch and dinner. Students are not obligated to stay beyond the school day \u2014which runs from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.\u2014 but can opt to stay for a structured free-time experience that incoming principal Rebecca Goodsell described as \u201clike a day camp.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Though Strive is a new name, the school isn\u2019t entirely from scratch. It was founded by Eric Grannis, a longtime charter school advocate and board member who is married to Success Academy CEO Eva Moskowitz and serves as Strive\u2019s executive director.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In January, THE CITY and Chalkbeat reported<\/a> that Strive was created when Moskowitz transferred an existing Success Academy school to her husband \u2014 a move that was approved by the charter authorizer, SUNY, but criticized by some state education officials as a maneuver around the state\u2019s strict charter limit, or cap. <\/p>\n

SUNY did not respond for request for comment in time for publication.\u00a0
\n\"\"Eric Grannis is founder and executive director of Strive Charter School, which will open in Mott Haven this fall. Photo courtesy Strive Charter School\n<\/p>\n

Strive is taking over a current Success Academy property in a move that \u201cfurther boosts efficiency,\u201d according to an informational memo<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe will use their curriculum at minimal ongoing cost and take over the lease on a recently renovated building \u2014 keeping startup costs low.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

Thus far, Strive leaders have faced a challenge in conveying the message that those hours outside the school day are optional, not required, Grannis said in an email to the Bronx Times. Even so, he said the school has seen \u201ctremendous\u201d demand thus far.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Strive has received 111 applications, including 56 for kindergarten, which fills up half the kindergarten slots, he said.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is very unusual for a brand new charter school in February and far more than we expected at this point.\u201d\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

Grannis declined to comment on Strive\u2019s connection to Success Academy, saying that Strive will use some of Success Academy\u2019s curriculum but will be an overall \u201cquite different\u201d concept.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Hands-on learning\u00a0<\/p>\n

Goodsell, 29, who lives in the South Bronx, said\u00a0the school day and additional hours are designed to give students choices and autonomy. They will be able to play, socialize and engage in hobbies, while staying off screens, she told the Bronx Times. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe school day is the school day, and then after that is fun.\u201d
\n\"\"Rebecca Goodsell will step into her first principal role at Strive this fall. Photo courtesy Strive Charter School\n<\/p>\n

Goodsell said the school will emphasize \u201chands-on and exploratory\u201d learning that allows students to \u201cchoose a lot of their own academic direction.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThose two things together are both unique and something new that I\u2019m really excited about and wanted to be part of that,\u201d she said.\u00a0\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

Strive Charter School will be the first principal job for Goodsell, who graduated from Syracuse, started her teaching career with AmeriCorps and most recently served two years as assistant principal of a Success Academy school.<\/p>\n

Goodsell said she\u2019s starting to hire staff, which will include three assistant principals, two teachers per classroom and a rotating staff to cover hours outside the school day. Those positions are likely to be filled by local college students studying education, according to Goodsell.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As a new principal at a new institution, she said she hoped to \u201cbring the joy back into schooling.\u201d \u201cI\u2019m really excited to be able to give this to the community and be a part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reach Emily Swanson at\u00a0eswanson@schnepsmedia.com<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0(646) 717-0015<\/a>. For more coverage, subscribe to our\u00a0newsletter<\/a>\u00a0and follow us on\u00a0Twitter<\/a>,\u00a0Facebook<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Instagram<\/a>!<\/p>\n

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